Office



mo Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

' M. R. JEWELL.

PAPER FILE.

No. 412,624. Patente'd'oot. s, 1889.

N PETERS. Pnola-Lilrw ra nur, Wnhinglnn. D. a

LNITED STATES P T NT OFFICE.

MAJOR RCMFYN'JEWELL, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR To THE OFFICE SPECIALTY MANUFACTURING COMPANY, CF SAME PLACE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 412,624, dated October 8, 1889. I Application filed February 6, 1889. Serial No. 298,880. (No model) I To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MAJOR -ROMEYN J EW- ELL, of Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented certain Improvements in Paper-Files, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates-more particularly to that class of trays or drawers employed to municated to the outer edges of the papers,

and to various other details connected with the above-mentioned parts, A

For the purposes of illustration I have shown mydevices in connection with a tray adapted to be supported'in aninclined position in front of a case or cabinet.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l-is a perspective view of a tray having my improvements combined therewith. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section of the same as it appears with the pressure devices released to permit the insertion andremoval ofthe papers, the section being taken on the line 0c of Fig. 1.' Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section on the line y y of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the several parts of the device for confining the index-sheets in place and permitting their removal at will. Fig. 5 is a perspective .view of the clamping or pressure arin. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the parts by which this arm is maintained in position. Fig. 7 is a top plan view of the follower or pressure-sheet. Fig. 8 is a crosssection of the same on the line 2 2.

Referring to the drawings, 'A represents a tray or receptacle consistingof the bottom board a, the vertical front board a, and-the side boards a strongly united in any suitable manner. p I

B represents a series of sheets removably fixed in position within the tray for the purpose of separating the contained papers into groups or sections, these sheets being preferably notched and lettered on the edge after the manner of the indexed sheets commonly used in this class of devices. -G is a pressure-sheet or follower fixed permanently, but movably, within the box for the purpose of confining the contents of the tray thereunder, and D is a pressure-arm or looking device adj ustably secured to the box for the purpose of holding the sheet Oanl the papers thereunder firmlyin position upon the bottom of the tray.

The pressure-arm D consists of a single piece of metal-preferably sheet metalhaving at one end a depressed perforated ear d and two elevated ears d. The perforated car 01 is'mou'nted and arranged to slide upon a vertical bar or rod d fixed in position in the front of the tray and curved outward at its upper edge. The box is grooved vertically at the front to admit this post and the projecting ear cl, and the upper end of the post is riveted to the outer side of a metal plate 01 This plate, which is slotted vertically, extends upward across the front wall a of the tray, thence over its upper edge and downward on the outside, its upper outer end serving to hold the post, as before mentioned, and its inner face serving as a bearing'for the ears d of the clamping-arm. When the arm is pressed downward within the box, it is held firmly in position by its ear (1, engaging the rod below the level of the ears d, which bear against the plate d. The upward pressure of the papers beneath the outer end of the arm causes the latter to lock firmly in place, so that it will not slide upward accidentally. The arm is so shaped that it bears upon the sheet 0 at a single point near its outer end only. Its extreme end, beyond the point of bearing, is, however, bent upward, so that when pressed downward by hand the outer end will.be tipped upward and caused to unlock, whereupon the arm may be lifted and turned over backward, as shown in Fig. 2, thus allowing the contents of the box to be freely examined. It is to permit this backward movement of the arm that the bar 61 is curved outward at the upper end.

The follower or pressure sheet 0 is commonly made of pasteboard or similar material, and is strengthened and stiffened by means of thin metal strips 0, applied across the same, either in the particular position represented in Fig. 7 or in any other position in which they will be adapted to receive the pressure of the confining-arm D, and extend thence toward the outer edges or corners of the sheet. sheet, as shown in Fig. '7, two strips of steel crossing the sheet diagonally between its corners. These strips may be secured by riveting to the sheet, or in any other appropriate manner; but I prefer to employ, as shown, underlying strips 0, formed of tin or equivalent metal, with ears 0 which are projected upward through the sheet and bent downward over the upper strips 6, the several parts being thus held firmly together. I commonly bend the elastic strips 0 so that they have a downward tendency at their outer ends. \Vhen, therefore, they are subjected to the pressure of the arm I) at the middle, their outer ends cause the sheet C to rest firmly upon the papers thereunder, holding them in a flat position and preventing them from slip ping accidentally out of the tray.

The pressure-sheet C is provided, at its forward edge, with a perforated ear or plate 0 which loosely encircles the stationary rod d the sheet being thus connected to the box, but permit-ted to rise and fall freely, and to tip outward against the arm, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2.

The index-sheets B are simply flat independent sheets, each provided at one edge with two re-enforcing portions to receive the vertical rods 0, by which they are retained in place. Each of these rods is tenoned at its two ends, as shown in Fig. Land these tenons seated in cars projecting forward horizontally on the upper and lower ends of the metal plates 6', the plates being made of brass, sheet-steel. or equivalent resilient material, in order that the ears may be sprung out of engagement with the pins when the latter are to be removed. The holding-plates e are each slipped vertically into and held in place by lips or flanges on the edges of vertical plates 6 secured or otherwise attached to the front of the tray on its inner face, this construction permitting the entire series of index-sheets and the papers between them to be removed bodily from the tray at will. In

order that this removal of the index'sheets may take place without removal of the follower-sheet O, the latter is provided with slots or incisions c in its rear edge, so that it may be turned backward and outward clear of the holding-plates e.

The pressure-arm D and the guide on which I commonly use on the top of the it locks may be modified somewhat in construction; but I prefer the particular form and arrangement herein shown.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim isi 1. In combination with the tray having the bent or angular rod (1 the pressure-arm D, with perforated ear d and ears (1.

2. In combination with the tray having the groove front, the plate (1 angular bar (1 and pressure-arm D, provided with ears dand d.

3. In combination with a tray or receptacle provided with bar or guide (1 the pressurearm D, and the follower C, independently mounted on said guide, substantially asshown.

4. In combination with the grooved tray, the angular bar (P, the slotted plate (1 and the pressure-arm D, mounted on the bar and arranged to turn backward over the front of the tray in the manner shown.

5. In combination with a tray or receptacle and a pressure-arm therein, a pressure-sheet or follower provided with strips 0, for transmitting the pressure to the marginal portions of the confined sheets.

6. A pressure-sheet for filing a tray or box, provided with elastic metal strips secured thereto and extending from the middle to the margin.

7. The pressure-sheet or follower having the metal stiffening-strips attached to its under and upper faces, and extending from the middle outward.

8. The pressure-sheet having the metal stripstapplied thereto on the two faces, the strips on one face provided with lips passing through the sheet and engaging the strip on the opposite face.

9. In a paper-file, the tray or receptacle, in combination with the index-sheets connected to each other and to the tray by the devices removable at will from the tray and the pressure-arm independently connected to the tray and arranged to turn outward therefrom, whereby the sheets may be,removed without detaching the pressure device.

10. In combination with the tray and the removable clip-plates c, to hold the indexsheets, the pressure-sheet C, independently connected to the tray and provided with slots 0.

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand this 4th day of April, 1888, in the presence of two attesting witnesses. 

